Automatic bicycle-brush.



No. 719,608. PATENTED FEB. 3,1903.

,1. M. PETERSON. AUTOMATIC BIGYGLE BRUSH.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT, Z, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. PETERSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC BICYCLE-BRUSH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,608, dated February3, 1903.

Application filed September 2, 1902. $erial1lo. 121,728. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. PETERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Bicycle-Brushes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for brushing the mud andwater from the rear wheel of a bicycle; and it pertains more especiallyto the means employed for adj ustably supportinga brush orcontact-bearing in rear of the rear wheel and also the means employedfor throwing the brush or bearing into and out of contact with the tireof the wheel.

My invention is further explained by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view thereof attached tothe frame of a bicycle. Fig. 2 is a top view of the lower portion of thedevice. Fig. 3 is a detail view from the under side of the device forholding the upper end of the brush-supporting frame. Fig. lis a sideview of the device shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top view of the lowerend of the brushsupporting frame and a brush therein.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

The brush A is adj ustably supported in the case B by the binding-screwsO. The binding-screws C have screw-threaded bearings in the inclosingcase and are adapted as they are turned down therein to impinge at theirlower ends against the brush and retain the same in place at any desiredpoint of adjustment, while they permit of the brush being adjustedforward from time to time as the same becomes worn by contact with thetire. The case B is pivotally supported from the respective sides of thesupporting-frame D by the bolt E. The brush is held normally in contactwith the tire F of the wheel by the recoil of the springs G G. Thesprings G are centrally supported from the bolt E, while one end thereofrests upon the frame D and their opposite ends bear beneath thebrushinclosing case B. One end of the brush-supporting bolt E isprovided with an operatingarm H. The brush-inclosing case B is rigidlysecured to the bolt E, whereby said brush is thrown in and out ofcontact with the tire by turning said bolt. Motion is communicated tothe operating-arm H from the hand of the rider of the bicycle whensitting in his seat through the cord I. The cord I is supported from theframe D, operating-rod J ,and the bar K of the bicycle through a seriesof staples or eyebolts L. It will be understood that when the cord I isslack the brush will be normally retained in contact with the tire, asstated.

When the condition of the streets is such as not to require the use ofthe brush, the same is thrown out of contact with the tire by drawingupwardly upon the cord 1, when the cord is locked in such position bythe eccentric bearing M. The eccentric bearing M is secured to the frameK by clamping-plates N and pivotal bolt 0. It will be understood thatthe cord I is drawn between the eccentric bearin g M and theclamping-plates Nand is locked at any desired point of adj ustmenttherein by turning down the eccentric bearing M against it. Thebrush-supporting frame D is pivotally supported at one end from the rearbars P P by the clamping-plates Q, while they are centrally supportedfrom the upper end of said rear bars P P by the operating-bar R androd-supportiu g bearings S, The operating-bar R is pivotally connectedwith the frame D by the clamping-plates T and pivotal bolts U and is adjustably connected at its upper end to the frame P by a plurality ofrecesses 1, which are adapted to engage upon the bolt 2, which bolt 2 issupported from said clamping-plates T by and between the bars 3 and 4.

When the brush is in position for use, as shown in Fig. 1, the bar R isadjusted so that the upper notch 1 will engage insaid bolt 2, and thussupport the brush in the desired position. When, however, the streetsare in such a condition that it is not necessary to use the brush, saidframe D is folded back beneath the seat by drawing upwardly upon the barR until the lower end of the bar D is brought over and against the upperend of the bicycle-frame P, when said bolt 2 will engage in the lowernotch 1 of said bar R. To provide for retaining the upper end of the barR in contact with the bolt 2 and prevent said bolt from disengaging fromsaid notches 1, I have interposed a spring 5 between said bar R and thebolt 6, whereby said bar R is pressed down by the recoil of said spring.The spring 5 is centrally supported from the bolt 6, while its ends bearagainst the opposing surface of said operating-bar R.

It will of course be understood that the tension of the springs Gr maybe so arranged as to normally support said brushes A out of contact withthe tire and that the same may be temporarily thrown into contact withthe tire, as may be required from time to time when the rider iscrossing a sprinkled street or a muddy portion of the street, by simplydrawing upon the cord I, when by releasing said cord the brush will beautomatically thrown out of contact with the tire again, and in this waythe rider will be enabled without moving from his seat to control theaction of the brush from time to time as ooeasion may require. When,however, the streets are in such a condition as not to require theoccasional use 'of the brush, the brush and brush-supporting frame maybe swung back beneath the seat of the rider, as hereinbefore described,by drawing upwardly upon the operating-rod R.

While I have shown an ordinary brush having flexible contact-bearings,it will be understood that a smooth non-flexible brush may be employedfor removing the water or mud from the tire.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a brush-supporting device for bicycles, means for supporting thebrush both in and out of contact with the tire of the wheel,

' means operative from the seat of the bicycle for operating said brushfrom the upper portion of the bicycle-frame, means for locking the brushinto and out of contact with the tire, means for folding back saidbrush-supporting frame in a raised position beneath the seat of therider, and means for locking and retaining said brush-supporting framein its raised or folded position, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatnr in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN M. PETERSON.

Witnesses:

J AS. B. ERWIN, LEVERETT 0. WHEELER.

into and out of,contact with the tire, means

